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India may have walked away with a 2-1 ODI series victory over the West Indies, but captain Shubman Gill knows there is still plenty of work to do before the 2027 ODI World Cup. After watching his team lose the third ODI despite putting 351 on the board, Gill made it clear that India cannot afford to spend too much more time trying different combinations.
With the World Cup now less than a year away, the Indian captain wants the team to start building towards the XI they actually want to take into the tournament.
Shubman Gill Wants India’s World Cup Combination Settled Soon
“I honestly think there is not that much time to experiment,” Gill said after the third ODI. He made it clear that India now need to identify the combination they want to take into the World Cup and give those players enough opportunities to play together.
Gill’s comments come at an important stage of India’s preparations. The team has been forced to make several changes because of injuries, player availability and the Asian Games, making it difficult for the captain to work with his preferred combination consistently.
India’s Bowling Combination Remains a Concern
The biggest uncertainty currently appears to be around the bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel were unavailable for the West Indies ODI series because they were part of India’s Asian Games campaign, while Hardik Pandya was also unavailable because of injury.
Prasidh Krishna then suffered a left hamstring injury during the second ODI, forcing another change before the series decider. Gill admitted that India have not yet been able to play with the bowling combination they would ideally like to take forward.
The third ODI exposed that weakness again. India scored 351/7, but West Indies chased the target down in just 48.2 overs, winning by five wickets. Shai Hope's unbeaten 162 was the centerpiece of the chase as West Indies completed their highest successful ODI chase against India.
Anshul Kamboj and Auqib Nabi Still in India’s Plans
Despite the difficult series finale, Gill does not appear ready to write off the new players who were given opportunities. Anshul Kamboj and Auqib Nabi made their ODI debuts during the series and remain part of India's wider plans.
Gill specifically said both players are going to be “in the mix a lot”, particularly because India are looking for options who can strengthen the lower order while also providing genuine bowling ability.
The No. 8 position could become particularly important for India going forward. Gill wants the team to have enough depth in both departments, rather than relying on a long tail when the main bowling attack is unavailable.
Gill Points Out India’s Fielding and Death-Bowling Problems
The West Indies series also highlighted problems that cannot simply be solved by changing one or two players. India dropped several catches during the three matches, while their bowling at the death was also put under serious pressure.
Those issues became particularly costly in the final ODI. Even after India produced a huge total, the bowlers could not defend it, with West Indies keeping wickets in hand and eventually completing the chase.
Gill acknowledged that these are areas India need to improve before the World Cup. For a tournament expected to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, India will need a bowling attack and fielding unit capable of handling difficult conditions and high-pressure games.
New Zealand Series Could Be the Next Big Test
India's next ODI assignment against New Zealand could therefore become an important part of the World Cup planning process. Rather than continuing to rotate players simply to see what they can do, Gill wants the core group to get extended opportunities together.
That does not mean the door is closed on new players. Instead, the message from the captain is that experimentation now needs to have a clear purpose, with India gradually moving towards their preferred combination.
The New Zealand series should provide India with a much better opportunity to do that if the first-choice players are available.
India Still Have Time, But Gill Wants It Used Wisely
India's 2-1 series win over West Indies ultimately gives them something positive to take away, but the defeat in the third ODI exposed several areas that need attention. The batting produced some outstanding performances during the series, yet the bowling depth, fielding and death overs remain concerns.
Gill's message is therefore less about panic and more about timing. India still have matches left before the 2027 World Cup, but the captain clearly believes the team now needs to move from testing combinations to building one.
The next phase of India's ODI preparation will show whether that shift begins with the New Zealand series.
